Certain enforcement, corrections, military, and civilian applications often require that firearms must be secured in a non-enclosed manner, ready to be rapidly unlocked, released from the locking mechanism and used.
There is an abundance of different types of firearms that one could potentially secure in a gunlock. All of these firearms differ in size, brand, structural and functional design, etc. In addition to the diversity of different firearms that must be compatible with these weapon gunlocks, creating a system for securing modern firearms is made harder by a flood of tactical accessories that are available. There are a wide variety of optics, lights, lasers, grips, stocks, and other tactical accessories that can be purchased and equipped on modern weapons. This abundance of different tactical accessories often makes securing the weapons outfitted difficult so that specialized gunlocks are required for each variation of weapon and/or accessories.
“Clamshell” style gunlocks are commonly used in various situations to secure these types of weapons. Examples of prior art clamshell locks include the Tufloc® brand small shotgun lock manufactured by Esmet Inc. of Canton Ohio and the SC-1 manufactured by Santa Cruz Gunlocks LLC of Webster, N.H., both of which are incorporated herein by reference. These clamshell gunlocks are typically made of aluminum or similar non-magnetically conductive material.
Tools, particularly expensive tools, are also often secured when not in use by some form of solenoid activated locking device.
Many if not most of such prior art clamshell gunlocks, as well as several other types of gunlocks and/or other solenoid activated locking devices, have an electronic unlocking mechanism which utilizes a solenoid to activate (i.e retract) a spring loaded pin placed in a portion of the gun lock. The pin is spring loaded and normally in the extended or locked position. When locked, the pin engages an opening in the gunlock or other locking device. Activating the solenoid causes the pin to be retracted, allowing the gunlock or other locking device to open. Unfortunately, the use of a solenoid activated lock has deficiencies as well. Specifically, when a magnet, such as a rare earth magnet or electromagnet for example, of a sufficient size/strength is placed proximate the gunlock in the area of the solenoid, the magnetic force from the magnet will activate the solenoid, retracting the pin and causing the gunlock to be able to be opened. This action allows for unauthorized access to the weapon thought to be safely locked and stored in the gunlock.
Accordingly, what is needed is a magnetic shield for all such prior art solenoid activated locking devices, which prevents or minimizes the ability for the lock device solenoid to be activated by an unauthorized individual utilizing a magnet or other solenoid activating device.